Best Kind of Love
by HeartAngel1796
Summary: Every pet owner has lost their animal best friend. A dragon rider may lose their dragon. The goodbye is hard, but moving on is harder. This is in honor of my dog who my family just lost. Sorry, contains dragon death. Divided into 2 parts.
1. Chapter 1

**This idea first came to me after I rewatched 2 specific episodes of the series, (not gonna say which just yet). But after we found out Cheyanne (my dog) was sick, I knew she wasn't going to last much longer, so I kept this idea close and when the night came when we had to call the vet to put her down (7/7/14), I started typing it up. And now it's 9/16/14, her birthday, she would be 15 years old today. So I wanted to make it the story's publishing day as well. **

**I divided the plot into 2 parts. The first part is chapters 1-3, which are already done and I will post today. The second part I'm still working on, those chapters are the ones that were inspired by the episodes. ****Takes place about 2 or 3 years after the first movie. **

**I don't own any of HTTYD; sadly.  
**

**Best Kind of Love Part I**

**Chapter 1:**

The Riders of Berk have been on the longest training mission their leader has ever planned for them. They have been on a large oval shaped island far north for almost a month. Hiccup was slightly skeptical about bringing Berk's best defenses away from home for so long, but his father the chief, also a rider himself, said if anything happened he would fly on Thornado to get them. But since he never came for them, everything must be fine back home. But a month is long enough for any training quest.

It was the last night they were spending on the island, then they would start flying home the first thing in the morning. The sun was not quite at the horizon so it was still fairly bright. The riders were all over their little camp they made in the woods, not too far from the beach, packing mostly everything up before dinner and then going to sleep a little earlier then usual. Most nights on the island, after a long day of training with each other and their dragons, they would sit around the fire after dinner for hours talking, laughing, telling stories, play with the many Terrible Terrors that inhabited the island, and sometimes play drinking games with the few jugs of mead Snotlout brought for their down time. Hiccup was packing his saddle bag on his best friend Toothless with maps, scrolls, and of course, the Book of Dragons.

"Okay, that's that. Training equipment all packed Fishlegs?" Hiccup turns from Toothless's saddle bag to Fishlegs and Snotlout, packing away shields and other training gear onto their dragons Meatlug and Hookfang.

"Check!" Fishlegs waves over to his leader. Snotlout gives a small grunt as he tightens one last rope.

"And double check," Snotlout gave his cousin a quick thumbs up.

"Excellent!" Hiccup turns his attention to the beautiful blonde Viking by the fire pit. "Cooking materials and what's left of the food taken care of Astrid?"

"All except for what's out for dinner tonight and the apples for a quick breakfast tomorrow morning," she replied, stirring the stew in the big pot on the dying fire.

"Perfect. Are the twins' back yet?" Hiccup turns left and right a few times to see if they are around.

"Why?" Tuffnut asks, walking back into camp with his sister Ruffnut by his side.

"You miss us?" the female twin adds.

"I missed you!" Snotlout and Fishlegs exclaim at the same time with overeager smiles directed towards her. Ruffnut rolls her eyes as Hiccup ignores their lovesick outbursts almost completely and walks up to the twins.

"Was there anything we left back in the clearing?" They found a nice open field on the island, not too far from their camp, that they used as a training grounds while they were there.

"Nope." Tuff proudly raised his chin as he crossed his arms.

"Well, not anymore." Ruff nudged her brother. Hiccup looked at her curiously. "I found that arrow Fishlegs shot into the trees during that shooting contest we had last week," the female twin brought the small bow spear from behind her back, waving it around.

"Okay then, I think that's everything," Hiccup confirmed, backing up to not get stabbed.

"Good, I'm exhausted!" Ruff slummed over as she walked over to the logs by the fire to sit down.

"I'm starving," her brother followed her to the fire pit for dinner. Their Hideous Zippleback coming up behind them, laying down and resting their two heads by their riders. The twins both took the head they road and pat them with affection.

"Well you're gonna have to wait a little bit longer, unless you want cold stew," Astrid continued to stir the pot and also poked at the fire more to get the flames up.

"That is not a good cooking fire," Snotlout squatted to look closer at the dying embers under the pot.

"It's Fishlegs's turn to get the firewood," Tuffnut nudged his head in the large young man's direction, still by his dear Gronckle.

"Alright, I'm going," Fishlegs started walking away but Meatlug also started walking after him. "No Meatlug it's okay, I'll be right back, you just stay and enjoy your granite," Fishlegs gave his dragon a pet on her snout and she understood and went back to her favorite dinner. Fishlegs smiled and walked into the forest.

* * *

Several minutes passed, the young Vikings were getting bored waiting for dinner so they started with their usual chit-chat they did before, during, and after they ate. The twins sat next to each other on the ground with their backs up against one of the logs, Hiccup sat close to Astrid on the next log, while Snotlout stood on the other side of the fire and told a story.

"…so I'm walkin' back here thinkin' everything's fine, I start to whistle a little, and then I hear the noise again. I turn around, there's nothing there. I turn back around, and there's a Terror right at my feet, trying to climb up my legs," Snotlout chuckled as he explained his little tale. All the teens started laughing too but settled down quickly before the muscular young man continued. "So after I shoo him away, I ran back to camp and thank Thor he didn't follow me. I'm brushing off the mud he left on my pants and I feel something in my pocket. I reach in, and I put out a fist full of Dragon Nip!" He and all the teens started laughing again, harder this time, until all their stomachs started to growl. Their dinner is still on the fire but is not heating up. They know they can't just have one of their dragons lightly blast at it; there's nothing there for the fire to burn. They need wood.

"Uh, how long does it take to get a few sticks and a small log or two?" Ruffnut groaned where she sat with her hands behind her head.

"Not this long. We still had a bunch of chopped logs left over there," Astrid said, getting back up to stir the stew once again. A few yards away from their camp, they set up a small clearing where they chopped down a few small trees around for fire wood. They knew there were logs there already and it wasn't that far away so they were all wondering why their intellectually gifted friend was not back yet

Just when Hiccup was getting up to go see why Fishlegs was taking so long, said husky Viking came slowly walking toward them from the forest with his arms full of small logs.

"Geeze Fish-face, what the Hel took you? The stews' still cold and we're all starving!" Snotlout ranted to Fishlegs as he slowly slugged out of the tree line. Hiccup looked closer at his friend's rather blank face and automatically knew something wasn't right. "…not only that but we could also freeze easier when we're this far…" Hiccup sternly cut his cousin off before he could finish.

"Snotlout, enough," Hiccup turned his attention back to their friend with the fire wood. "Fishlegs, you okay?" Fishlegs looked around sad and a bit startled looking. When his eyes went back to Hiccup, Fishlegs crouched down to set down the wood, which was more like a drop. After it was all on the ground, Fishlegs, still not looking back up or even rising back up fully to his feet, choked out a sob and started to cry almost hysterically.

"Fishlegs?!" Hiccup dropped down to one knee to look at his crying friend and try to calm him down. The other Vikings got to their feet and approached the two, each showing concern and curiosity of why their team mate was crying. They've never seen one another cry like this before. At least not since they were around eight years old. As Hiccup placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, Fishlegs slightly raised his head to see his leader trying to comfort him and the others not too far behind him, all looking concerned and equally confused as well. Fishlegs gave a sniffle while tried to blink away most of his tears before sadly stuttering out his story.

"I-I was…getting the w-wood…a-and then I h-heard so-something in the bu-bushes. I look over, a-and I se-see a few wild bo-boars run…running away, s-so I go over to wh-where they were ru-running from and…" Fishlegs couldn't finish his story, choking on another big sob.

"And what? Did something happen? Did you see something?" Hiccup said, trying to understand and calm his good friend down. It took a minute or two, but Fishlegs took a big breathe, rubbed his tears away with the back of his hand and stood back up, a little more calm but still tearing up. Hiccup rose with him. Fishlegs started to walk back the way he came and gestured for his friends to follow him.

They all knew where the wood cutting area they set up was. So when they got there, they waited for Fishlegs to direct them to what he wanted them to see that got him so upset.

Fishlegs, with a shaky hand, pulled some of the bushes away, and pointed towards the direction he must have been talking about where he saw the boars run from. He turned his head away, not wanting to look again. Hiccup knew whatever it was, it still was worth his curiosity. Preparing his mind for whatever it was, Hiccup walked around the bush and a few feet forward and froze. The other Vikings, Fishlegs at the very back still shedding tears, followed Hiccup and were just as shocked; by what was in front of them on the ground, and by the fact that they were not prepared to comprehend this could happen.

One. Just one of the many lap-sized and friendly Terrible Terrors that populated this island, was there. Dead. Mainly still intact, body twisted not nicely at all, surrounded by boar prints in the dirt and puddles of the dragon's own blood.

A sweet and affectionate little dragon like a Terror found dead before a group of dragon trainers? Who wouldn't be upset? Hiccup stepped closer and crotched down. One of the little dragon's eyes was still slightly opened. Hiccup reached forward and gently closed it shut, feeling a tear build in his eye.

Fishlegs was still behind everyone, trying to control his sobbing. Snotlout knew he couldn't (or rather he wouldn't) cry, but he was still upset for the little guy and angry at the boars that did this, and stayed silence. The twins knew they always made jokes about death and whatnot, but this was just awful. Even before they became riders they had never seen a dragon maimed like this, so they both looked away with a scowl and bitter taste in their mouths. Astrid came forward and got down beside Hiccup, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I guess this is why Terrible Terrors hunt and travel in packs," Hiccup stated with a raw throat.

They wanted to give the little dragon a proper funeral, but the only funeral they knew how to perform was for Vikings. Only now do the riders realize that ever since the war between Berk and the Dragons ended, they haven't seen a dead dragon. Nobody saw them dead anymore because they stopped killing them, and when they did kill them, they used their bones, horns, and hides for helmets or just kept them as trophies. Now that dragons were respected and loved by the Vikings and most where considered family, they deserved a proper send off to the next world. But a dragon funeral? Even after the peace was established, they hadn't thought of that.

Even though this dragon wasn't a trained companion of any Viking, he was still a good dragon in the eyes of all the first riders, and equally deserved a funeral.

Later that evening, after the young adult Vikings gave the murdered Terror their newly established 'Dragon Funeral,' everyone sat quietly by the roaring fire with their dragons close. Everyone had pretty much lost their appetite from earlier, so they only nipped at their well heated stew before giving the rest to their dragons.

* * *

**I know I didn't explain how a 'Dragon Funeral' works, but I will when the time is right. I knew I was going to explain it in a later chapter, so I didn't want to be repetitive by putting it here too. **

**And I know, I hated writing out a dead Terrible Terror as much as U all probably hated reading about it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Best Kind of Love**

**Chapter 2:**

The Riders of Berk have been flying for hours. After their grueling training exercise, our heroes are eager to get home and relax with their dragons. Hiccup is very eager to get home and tell his father about the new custom for dragons they developed last night. The chief's son rides up front on his best friend with the other riders following closely by.

"We've been flying forever! Can't we just stop for a minute?" Snotlout yelled in an almost whine. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Snotlout, we're all tired," Hiccup said, annoyed by his cousin's complaints. As usual. "I know you're exhausted from the training mission, we all are, and we've been flying all day, but if we stop and rest now we won't make it back to Berk before sun down like we'd prefer."

"Besides, I don't see any land we could land on if we wanted too," Fishlegs added, looking down and around and saw nothing but water along the ocean's vast surface as he flew his beloved Gronckle.

Astrid flew closer to Hiccup as the wind picked up and made it harder to hear. "Hiccup, I don't like the look of that sky up ahead!" Hiccup looked closer in the direction they were heading in and sure enough, the sky was dark and storm-ridden. Some of the riders could even already feel a bit of a spray of rain.

"So we'll get a little rained on. Bid deal," Tuffnut said from across their flock.

"Yeah, some of us are a bit over due for a wash down anyway," Ruffnut sneered, referring to her odd smelly twin brother on the other head of their Zippleback. But Hiccup didn't trust that they would just get rained on. Those clouds looked angry and he could even start to hear a small rumble of thunder. Thor must be mad about something. But where else could they go? They were already too far from their training island. Even if they turned around they still wouldn't out run the storm. And like Fishlegs said, there wasn't any other land close by they could land on and wait it out; as far as they knew.

"Just fly straight and stay close!" Hiccup hollered to all the riders as they all flew forward.

The dark clouds were indeed not just rain clouds. The riders had steered themselves into what you could call a hurricane. Lightning split the sky and threatened to strike them as the thunder boomed louder then a Thunderdrum with a splinter. The rain started coming down harder and harder as the wind grew stronger, forcing them in every direction but straight. Directions that included away from each other. They all yelled out to each other as their flock was ripped apart and scattered away from each other in their own directions on their own dragon's backs.

* * *

With much difficulty, Hiccup and Toothless were able to make it to the eye of the storm without being struck by lightning. With all the metal the two of them have on, they considered themselves extremely lucky. But he and his Night Fury were the only lucky ones. None of the others appeared too have made it to the safety of the eye and going back out to look for them was a pointless suicide.

* * *

As much as Ruff and Tuff loved out of control and anything awesome but scary at the same time, they knew they had to find some kind of stability or they weren't going to make it. They looked all around them for anything that looked like help. The other riders, a sea stack, any kind of island or mountain they could land on and find shelter. They could barely see a thing through the rain flying wild everywhere in the wind with them. But out in the distance, Ruff could make out a shape that was indeed an island.

"Over there!" She yelled at the top of her lungs to her brother. Tuff turned and saw the small land mass too and sighed in a bit of relief as they both steered their dragon to the island. They didn't care what island it was or what was on it, they needed to get out of the storm.

They were less then half a mile away from the island when a new and very powerful gust of wind hit them and blew Ruffnut right out of her saddle. Tuffnut reached out and grabbed her arm before the wind could carry her too far from them. With the wind still blowing like mad, Ruffnut was just floating in the air as Tuffnut held her like a balloon trying to completely defy gravity and float away. He held onto his sister's wrist as she held his just as tight. But with the rain making their hands and Tuffnut's saddle wet, it was getting harder to hold on to Belch's horn and without Ruffnut on Barf's head to steer him, they started to go down. Tuffnut tried to direct Belch more towards the island in front of them, hoping Barf will follow his second half's lead and they wouldn't land in the crashing sea. The wind was to strong for Tuffnut to pull Ruffnut back onto her saddle, but that didn't matter; because another huge blast of wind, even stronger then the last one, came back and with Tuffnut's slippery hold on Belch's horn, he was flung from his saddle too and Ruffnut was ripped out of his grip.

"TUFF!" Ruff screamed as she fell back towards the water.

"RUFF!" the Viking boy yelled to his falling sister as he also fell. "BARF! BELCH!" Tuffnut tried to yell to their dragon to save them but he could only watched in horror as their Zippleback thrashed and plummeted away from both his riders as they all fell to their fates.

* * *

In a group of sea stacks, after the worst part of the storm was over and all that remained was the dark clouds and a light rain, Stormfly is squatted down low on top of the lowest standing rock out of the bunch. Seeing the wind and lightning stopped and the rain was lighter, the Nadder's rider emerged from under her blue wings.

"Well that was pleasant," Astrid said sarcastically as she stood to pet her Nadder and see she was okay. 'Listen to me, I'm starting to sound like Hiccup,' she thought to herself. Speak of the devil, just as she was about to start worrying if he and the others made it through the storm okay, a Monstrous Nightmare, a Gronckle, and a Night Fury landed on the wide sea stack with her; all with their riders.

"Astrid!" Hiccup leapt off Toothless and dashed over to her.

"Hiccup, you're okay!" Astrid hollered back, overjoyed, as she embraced him.

"I was so worried about you," Hiccup said into her shoulder but quickly pulled back to look at her. "Toothless and I made it to the eye of the storm but none of you guys did."

"Well Stormfly and I are fine. But how did you guys get out?" Astrid asked behind her dear friend to the two biggest built riders of their gang.

"Meatlug found a small island with a huge mountain and we hid in one on the caves," Fishlegs explained as he hugged his beloved dragon, showing his gratitude of how smart she is.

"Hookfang and I landed on that island too and we found a cove by the beach to keep us out of the rain," Snotlout explained from the neck of his dragon. "The two of us met back up in the sky after the storm died down enough then we found Hiccup not to long after that."

"Well I'm glad you're all okay," Astrid sighed a bit on that sentence.

"Wait, what about the twins?" Hiccup realized out loud. Everyone froze. Snotlout and Fishlegs looked all around the island they stayed on in case anyone else was there before they left; no sign of anyone. Hiccup hadn't see anyone before or after he and Toothless found the eye of the storm, and the last time Astrid saw them was when they all got separated. After exchanging worried looks with each other, they all hopped back on their dragons and few off together to hopefully find their trouble making friends alive as well.

* * *

The storm had mostly cleared to a partially cloudy sky while the sun beat down threw the cracks in them on a small island with rocky beaches and an unconscious Viking girl on them. She started to wake up to a face full of sand. She remembered the crashing waves and nearly drowning hours ago, then the feeling of sand as rough as her name under her before choking up about a bucket's worth of sea water then passing out from exhaustion. Ruffnut slowly got to her feet, checking all her limbs to see nothing was broken. Other then some lingering chest pains from the sea water she coughed out of her lungs and soreness from being thrashed around by the tide, she was okay. She was however fairly annoyed she almost drowned. Ruff could hold her breathe longer then anyone else on Berk, also being one of it's best swimmers. But seeing as she was alive, Ruff could marked this as a successful crash landing. Another relief she added to her list was that her helmet was shining half sunk in the beach not to far from her. Ruffnut dumped the sand out and put it back on her head with a smile. But that smile quickly faded when she realized her brother and their dragon were nowhere to be seen around her. Worried, she turned to the line of trees that lead inland.

"Tuff!" she yelled, cupping both her hands by her mouth. "Barf!? Belch!?" still nothing. No voices, no dragon growls, nothing but birds chirping and the waves crashing behind her. She knew they all went down around this island so they had to be around here somewhere too. So with her growling stomach and determination to find her twin and dragon and food, Ruffnut walked through the tree line and into the forest.

* * *

Deeper inland, Tuffnut slowly began to wake up from his nap in the thorny bush that broke his fall, several hours after plummeting from an angry sky. Which at the time now, Tuff looked up threw the trees above him to see it wasn't so angry anymore. The long haired blonde boy rubbed his aching head as he wobbled off of the brush, the thorns once again stabbing at his skin to add more scratches to his arms, face, and any other exposed skin from where his clothes tore. Tuff brushed himself off and readjusted his helmet once he got back to his feet, looking all around him. No broken bones as far as he could feel, but there was an immense pain on the side of his right arm. And when he looked down it was as he thought. One long, but thank Odin, not to deep, slash stretched from about the back of his elbow to the base of his shoulder. The blood had somewhat dried but most of the wound was still opened and oozing red. Tuff cringed when he put a finger to it, wiped the bit of blood on his pants and looked around for something to bind it with. Most of his left pant leg was already mostly torn above the knee. Tuff shrugged, ripped the barely attached hunk of fabric away from the main, and quickly wrapped his arm.

After he'd stopped the bleeding, Tuff took one more, good look around, no sign of Ruff or their dragon. No noises that sounded like either of them. But there was a noise he could make out that sounded just as promising; running water. And not the waves from the sea on the beach, but a stream maybe. Tuff ran in the direction of the sound and sure enough, there was a fresh water stream only a few meters wide and maybe less then a foot deep right there.

Tuffnut came to the edge and got down of his knees. The Viking boy could see his many new scratches on his face from the thorn bush and even a bruise by his chin. But Tuffnut did nothing more then shake them off, cup his hands into the water a few times and have a drink, while also slashing a lot on his face in the process.

"Tuff?" a raspy feminine voice came from across the brook. Said Viking froze for a moment. He knew that voice anywhere. Tuffnut lifted his wet face from his sight of the water to the source seeing his suspicions correct. There, standing just across the stream from him with a half eaten apple in her hand, was his sister. Looking just as shocked and relieved and happy as he was; but not quit as beat up. Tuffnut bolted up, Ruffnut dropped what remained of her apple, and the both of them ran slashing threw the stream to meet half way for a sibling hug. Ruff pulled away after a minute to get a good look at her brother to see he wasn't too hurt. She liked it when he was hurt, just not him being life-threateningly injured. He looked okay. He was standing fine. But she was curious about his pant leg torn off and wrapped around his arm.

"What happened to your arm?"

"Just a scratch. Should leave a pretty cool scar though," Tuff put his hand to it to show it was nothing serious, giving his sister a wickedly amused smirk.

"Sweet," the female twin smiled back, wishing she could have gotten a few more scars to show for surviving a storm and crash land like that too. Ruff then looked around again, nothing in the stream and nothing back of either sides in the trees. No dragon. "Where are Barf and Belch?"

"I thought they were with you." Both starting to get worried again, the twins scrambled out of the stream and started walking along the bank. Calling desperately for their Zippleback to find them. Or hoping they could find the two headed dragon.

* * *

Hiccup and the others flew back to where they think they all got separated. According to Astrid, right after they got separated, she saw the twins get blown in the exact opposite direction she did. The about a minute later, she spotted the sea stacks and landed Stormfly there to wait out the storm.

"Are you sure you saw them go this way?" Fishlegs asked the only present Viking girl of their group.

"It's back the way I was blown and in the opposite direction, I'm positive," Astrid hollered over as they all flew in the direction she was sure was the twin's path threw the storm.

"It's the best and only lead we have. Snotlout, Fishlegs, you two keep your eyes down to see if they're in the water or if you see any land, they could be on it." Both young men nodded and steered their dragons a bit lower to the water. "Astrid, keep your eyes up and look for them in the sky, I'll do the same. If they're flying that means they're both okay," Hiccup and Astrid directed their dragons higher, scanning the skies for the Zippleback while the other two scanned the waters.

Hiccup knew they well find them. He just didn't know how they would be when they did. A bad feeling developing in his gut, they all kept flying and searching for their friends and dragon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Best Kind of Love**

**Chapter 3**

"Barf!"

"Belch!"

Nothing.

Ruff and Tuff had been hollering their dragon's names for hours. They went back to the beach and walked all around the outer perimeter of the island; no luck. Now they were back at the stream to rehydrate. The sun was getting lower and lower in the sky, if they didn't find Barf and Belch soon, they would have to make camp and spend the night on the island. Even if their friends found them, they were not leaving until they found him or at least made sure he wasn't on the island like they thought.

The siblings continued to walk up stream as they kept calling for their Zippleback. The stream seemed to be flowing from the tall, rocky mountain off the middle of the island. If they were spending the night, they needed a cave for shelter, especially if that storm came back.

When the twins got to the base of the mountain, they spotted several caves of all sizes. But they settled for the one with an opening roughly the size of a small hut, elevated a few feet off the ground to keep the rain out, but there were plenty of boulders to climb up easy to it.

Tuffnut began to step up on the first stone and climbed all the way up to the cave and stepped in, checking that the cave was big enough for them and there were no predators already occupying it. Ruffnut stayed on the ground and started gathering up any wood around to build a camp fire. If the others were looking for them and came across the island, they would see the smoke and find them; if it didn't become too dark by then.

Ruffnut piled up the wood for a nice sized camp fire and found two small rocks to spark it. While she was trying to light the fire, Tuffnut came down from the cave, jumping off the last boulder and walking back to his sister.

"Caves' clear," Tuff reported back, coming up to the stacked wood his sister was trying to set a flame. "You want me to do that?" Tuff offered confidently, seeing his second half wasn't getting it and thought he would. Ruff just looked at him with a slightly annoyed pout.

"No, but I do want you to get us some more wood. We gotta keep it going if we want the others to see the smoke," Ruff pointed to the rest of the wood around the rocks at the base of the mountain. Tuff sighs and starts picking up more wood. With a few sticks under his arm, Tuff wandered a few yards from his sister, when he spotted something odd sticking out from under a fairly small boulder. It didn't look like wood, in fact it looked leathery to the Thorston boy. Tuff placed the sticks he gathered up down and tried to push the rock off the leather looking thing under it.

By the time he managed to push it away, he heard Ruffnut give a victorious 'yes' and the crackly of a fire. Tuffnut turned his head to see exactly what those sounds made him picture. But he turned back to what he was doing quickly and got a proper look of what he just found. Tuffnut squatted down to pick it up, but before his hand even tapped its surface, he froze as he recognized the leather thing.

It was a saddle. And not just any saddle, it was his. Or his sisters'. The strap was broken and looked a little squished from the boulder but it was still fairly intact. Tuff just held the leather saddle in his hands and stared grimly at it as he thought.

'If this was one of their saddles, where was their dragon?'

"Hey Tuff, I got the fire started, where's the rest of that wood?" Ruff called out to her brother rather chummy, as she started walking to where she saw him squatted down to the ground with his back to her. Tuff didn't respond or turn back to face her. Ruff stopped a foot or two from him, dropping her smile and getting a little concerned. "Tuff?" Ruff tried again. She must have gotten threw because Tuff slowly rose back up to his feet and turned around with a grim face, showing his sister what he just found. Ruff gasped at the sight. She knew it was her brother's saddle, or it could have been her saddle, they both looked the same, but one thing was certain; it belonged on one of the necks of their Zippleback. But where is he?

"Barf! Belch!" Feeling panic rise in them again, the two started shouting at the top of their lungs. If one of their saddles was here, their dragon had to be around too; and after a minute or two, they got they're answer.

After several loud pleads for their dragon to answer them, a low and miserable growl filled their ears for a second, but that was all they needed to know it was a dragon. Both teens turned to the direction it came from. It couldn't be far, maybe somewhere around the corner of the many boulders around the mountain where they stood.

As soon as the sound left their ears, Ruffnut was off running in that direction. Tuffnut gripped the saddle he found and followed closely after her. They had to climb over a few more boulders and run down a steep, rocky slope, but when they finally reached the bottom, their hearts stopped.

There was another tall pile of boulders, and sticking out from under them they could see the ends of two green tails, part of a wing, and a scaly green arm with claws. Defiantly a Zippleback.

The twins looked horrified at each other before they ran to the pile and tried to move the rocks away. Tuffnut dropped the saddle he found behind him to dig while Ruffnut did the same to his left.

After digging for more than half an hour, Tuffnut found the first head of the trapped Zippleback. The head was cold, with a few bloody scratches, and didn't move at all to his touch to its snout. The male twin then looked to the first couple of feet of the dragon's neck that he also managed to uncover; no saddle. 'Maybe this wasn't…' Tuff thought hopefully for a second, but that moment ended faster than it came when he heard his sister sob out his name.

"T-Tuff," Ruffnut called to her brother from her end of the rock pile. Tuff immediately but slowly stood and walked over to his sister and almost choked as a sob built in his own throat.

Ruffnut had managed to dig out and free the Zippleback's other head, but when she also freed most of the heads neck, there _was_ a saddle. An exact match of the saddle Tuffnut found.

Their saddles. Their dragon.

Ruffnut was on the left side of the pile, digging for the Zippleback's right head, the gas breathing head she rode, Barf's head with her saddle still on his neck. Tuffnut dug on the right side of the rocks and re-unearthed the Zippleback's left head, the gas sparking head he rides, Belch's head, and his saddle, ripped off from the storm, the impact, or the rock slide that crushed them and buried them alive, in his trembling hands.

Tuff dropped to his knees by his sister, mixed tears of frustration and sadness building in his eyes, and lightly clasp her shoulder with his other hand that wasn't gripping _his_ saddle. Ruff looked to her brother with red eyes and soaking cheeks. Tuff however was looking back behind him to Belch's uncovered head for a few moments before looking his sister in the eye, the tears he'd been developing starting to drop.

"He's gone," Tuff practically whispered from his choked up throat. Ruff looked back to Barf's head in front of them with her hand on his snout for a moment, before letting out one more sob and turning back to face her brother.

"They both are," she cried out a bit louder than Tuff had spoken. Both Thorstons, forgetting all about their rough and tough Viking nature, held each other close and sobbed their hearts out.

* * *

"Hiccup! I see an island!" Snotlout yelled above him to his leader. Hiccup looked down and forward and sure enough, there was an island. A little smaller than the one they had been training on for the past month and there was a fairly tall mountain off the center of it. Even if the twins weren't there, the sun was starting to set and they needed a place to land and rest for the night. Guess the Riders of Berk wouldn't be making it home before sun down this day, after all.

Hiccup directed everyone to head for the island and they all landed in a small clearing by a stream. Upon landing, the four riders jumped off their dragons and knelt by the water for a drink. Their dragons also walked to the edge for some water as well. Fishlegs was the first to get his fill. When he was done, the husky teen lifted his head and wiped his chin, looking back up, he got a good look of the island's mountain, and in that direction, in the light of dusk, he also saw a line of smoke.

"Guys, guys!" Fishlegs franticly hollered to get his friends' attention. "Look, smoke!" Everyone abandon their attention from the running fresh water to where Fishlegs was pointing above the trees. And they saw it too. Too small to be a random forest fire, maybe a camp fire. Astrid stood from her spot by the stream's edge and looked down to Hiccup beside her; keeping his eyes on the single smoke line.

"You think it's the twins?" Astrid asked, watching him rise back to his feet; well, foot and prosthetic, then turning back to her and the others.

"One way to find out," Hiccup said before jumping onto a stone in the stream, and then to another until he was on the other side. The other riders followed closely behind and the dragons quickly leapt or glided over the running water as well. Once everyone was across, they headed into the woods to the direction of the smoke line.

* * *

The riders and their dragons didn't have to walk for too long to make it to the base of the mountain. The smoke they saw before was pretty much gone but they already knew to head for the mountain. Just because the fire was gone doesn't mean the person who started it was. Once they stepped out of the tree line and at the mountain's base, all they saw in front of them was a smooth stone ground, a bunch of boulders and rocks, and a few caves in the sides.

Upon seeing all the mountain's boulders, Meatlug shot past everyone and started eating. Fishlegs thought it was adorable at first, but after he saw the looks he was getting from the others, he immediately went to his dragon to get her to stop.

"Meatlug," Fishlegs put himself in between his Gronckle and a pile of rocks she was trying to snack on. "I'm sorry, I know you must be hungry, but we need to find our friends."

"Hello, we don't even know if they're here," Snotlout said leaning his back on a large boulder.

"Well that camp fire we saw has to be somebody," Astrid argued to him with her hands on her hips.

"Astrid's right. Even if it's not the twins, whoever it is could need help too," Hiccup stepped forward, looking in the direction he was sure the smoke had come from by the mountain.

"Or maybe they could have at least seen them," Fishlegs added, walking back to the others with Meatlug by his side.

"Exactly, so come on," Hiccup gestured his way and they started walking around the mountain counterclockwise.

Only after a few minutes of walking and climbing over a few boulders did they finally see a promising sign. A flat stone floor with a slightly elevated cave in the side of the mountain and a camp fire of slowly dying embers. Hiccup dashed ahead and knelt by the embers to check how fresh they really were. The burnt up logs were still glowing with under sparks. Someone couldn't have made this less than a few hours ago. Hiccup rose back up straight and looked back to his friends before looking up to the cave by the area.

"Ruff! Tuff!" Hiccup cupped his hands to both sides of his mouth and started to call out. The others followed suit and began shouting for their twin friends.

"Guys?" a familiar male voice from behind them asked. Everyone turned and smiled to see what they thought they would see. Tuffnut, standing by the pile of boulders that lead in the continued counterclockwise direction.

"Tuff!"

"You're alive!"

"Thank Odin," Hiccup smiled, walking up to his friend and extending his arm for a friendly arm grip. Tuffnut forced a smiled to his leader and accepted the gesture. But when Hiccup looked to their joined arms, he noticed the long piece of cloth wrapped around his right upper arm with a dark red stain visible. "Tuff, you're bleeding," Hiccup said worriedly as he let go.

"It's nothing," Tuff replied blankly, bringing his other hand up to rub his makeshift bandaged arm as he looked down, avoiding more eye contact. Hiccup and the others noticed this and started to get concerned. Tuff is never this quiet and blank faced. Hiccup put a hand on Tuff's shoulder, the blonde boy turned his head back with sad eyes. Only now did Hiccup notice his eyes looked very red and a little puffy. Tuffnut had been crying.

"Tuff, where's Ruff?" Hiccup asked, a bad feeling developing back in his gut about the answer.

"Over there," Tuff nodded his head in the direction he came.

"Is she okay?" Astrid asked, stepping up beside Hiccup. Fishlegs and Snotlout not far behind, worried for their 'princess's' safety.

"She's alive," Tuff answered plainly again, traces of sadness growing back up in his throat.

"So… what's the matter?" Snotlout asked, still concerned but not understanding.

Tuffnut looked back at all of them, tears starting up in his eyes again, especially when he saw their dragons behind them.

"Tuff, what happened?" Hiccup asked, getting more concerned that he was barely talking. Meanwhile, Toothless was starting to sniff around. No one was paying him any attention until they heard him let out a growly whimper. Everyone turned to see the Night Fury was looking in the direction Tuffnut came from. Hiccup walked past Tuffnut to check on his dragon. He knew Toothless wouldn't make a noise like that for nothing. "Toothless? Bud, what is it?" Hiccup looked to his dragon while rubbing the side of his neck. Toothless didn't move or look back to his rider. Before Hiccup could try to get him to respond again, Toothless gave another growly shriek, which sounded more alarming than sad, and ran in the direction he was looking to. "Toothless!" Hiccup hollered and started running after his dragon. Tuffnut was close behind him and so were the others.

By the time Hiccup caught up with Toothless, the Night Fury was just standing where he stopped; frozen. And when Hiccup saw what had alarmed his dragon so much, he froze too. The other riders arrived not a moment later, they also stopped dead in their tracks and stared wide eyed at the horrifying scene before them.

Ruffnut lying her head against a Zippleback head, sticking out of a huge pile of boulders and stones up against the mountain. On the other side of the pile was the other head, also sticking out from the many stones that trapped the rest of its body. Ruffnut's arm was also wrapped protectively around the head's neck while her other hand was rubbing his snout and check, back and forth. Even from the several yards away, they could also see the red around her closed eyes and fresh tears over dried ones all over her checks.

Hiccup turned his head to his left when he heard someone walk up to stand next to him. It was Tuffnut, and those tears he had in his eyes back by the cave were now all over his checks. And as Tuff looked back at his leader, Hiccup could tell, his friend didn't care that he was indeed crying. From the look on Hiccup's face, Tuffnut knew what he was thinking and just gave a solid nod to answer the unasked question in his leader's eyes.

Hiccup also started developing tears when he saw the gesture. He understood now; that was Barf and Belch, that was their dragon under those rocks. And they all knew he was dead.

* * *

"…And may Odin watch over these souls as they fly to Valhalla. These dragons are free and at peace…" Stoick spoke as the village gathered around an opening in the ground in a cleared and empty field on the far side of Berk. A Viking funeral called for the deceased to be burned in a boat as it floated out to sea. But, dead or alive, dragons were still fire proof on the outside, so burning their bodies wouldn't do. But Hiccup remembered reading that some cultures buried their dead deep in the ground and marked their graves with stones so loved ones could visit them. And since he knew the dragon's owners/riders would like to have that privilege, they made it an official Berk custom to bury their dead dragons with a respectable farewell.

"Barf and Belch together were a good Zippleback. One of the first dragons to be trained, and turned two young Vikings into two of the first dragon riders of Berk. They helped to protect us all. For this, Barf and Belch will forever be in our history, and will forever remain in the hearts of both his riders." Stoick finished his say of the 'Dragon Funeral' and stepped back next to his son. Hiccup was anxious to tell his father about the 'dragon funeral' custom he developed on the northern island a few days ago, he just didn't realize they would be performing one _officially_ so soon. Threw out the whole funeral, Hiccup couldn't stop looking at the twins. They stood on the other side of the pit, at the front with their parents, surrounded by the other riders, their un-repaired saddles clutched to their chests. Ever since he and the others found them on that island, they haven't been themselves at all.

After the twins told them what happened, they all spent the night in the cave in the mountain. The next morning, Hiccup flew back to Berk to tell his father what was going on. Stoick, Mr. and Mrs. Thorston, and a few other villagers prepared a ship to sail to the island to carry Barf and Belch's body back to Berk. Hiccup didn't think it would be a good idea for their dragons to try to lift the Zippleback and fly him all the way back home. The island he died on was still fairly far north, and they didn't have anything to secure the two headed dragon to properly carry him back. It took Hiccup more than half that day to make it home, then the ship arrived at the island late the next morning. It was hard to get the twins away from the rock pile so the men could dig him out. But upon seeing their parents, the two got up and ran to them for a little extra comfort.

Both Ruff and Tuff refused to ride with the others on their dragons back, they stayed on the ship, cradling and petting their dragon's heads. Ruff also removed her saddle from Barf's neck. Stoick told Hiccup when they got back later into that night, that during the trip, neither of the twins ate or even said a word to anyone. Not to each other, or their parents. And right now, the following morning, during the funeral, they were even more blank. They stopped crying at some point on the boat, but even as the other men of the village lowered their dragon into his tomb, they just stared with empty eyes. Empty of everything; accept misery. That alone was sad, but the most peculiar thing was that they were also holding hands. The twins hadn't held hands with each other since they were young children, before they had any other friends and only kept to themselves. They played and fought with each other, but as they grew older and made other friends, they became more violent; like all Vikings do really, and they became less reliant on each other. But now would be a time when they would need each other the most.

But Hiccup had never seen them like this before, neither had the rest of their friends. They were always so lively and idiotically happy, loved bowing stuff up and getting into trouble. But now their dragon was dead. They weren't dragon riders anymore. Why wouldn't they be acting this way?

Only now did Hiccup truly see just how strong a bond between a dragon and their rider can be. If one dies, the other breaks.

And from the twin's behavior and the gray in their eyes that wasn't just part of their natural colors; they were indeed, broken.

* * *

**End of Part I**

**I love the twins and Barf and Belch, they're like my 3rd(Tuff) and 4th(Ruff) favorites out of the group. (Hiccup being #1, Astrid #2). (And my fav out of all their dragons is Toothless of course). But this had to happen for my original idea for the story, and get my point across. **

**And yeah, dragons will be buried instead of burned in boats for their funerals because they are still fire-proof on the outside.**

**I'll try to get the most of Part 2 up as soon as I can. **

**Thank U, and Happy Birthday Cheyanne ),: **


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry I haven't updated this in quite some time. But last time it was the first three chapters/the whole first part. But yeah, I did want to work on this more then I did and posted it sooner. College Semester Finals and all. **

**Again, I don't own any of HTTYD. 'Yet', Maybe.**

**Best Kind of Love Part 2**

**Chapter 4**

Hiccup was in the forge, helping Gobber make new saddles for a few villagers just learning to ride. Even though Gobber tried to talk and get a conversation going with his silent apprentice, Hiccup only gave short and uninterested answers. Hiccup was mildly depression, as were the rest of Berk's expert flyers. Except for the twins, they were beyond any level of depressed that Berk had ever seen.

Ever since their dear dragon's funeral four months ago, they hadn't come anywhere near the academy. Hiccup once had the idea that he should try introducing the twins to another Zippleback so they could be Riders again, but quickly abandon that plan. He said to them himself, _'we can get you another spoon, another dish, another stuffed yak, what we can't get you is another Barf and Belch.'_ And he was right. Barf and Belch couldn't just be replaced like that. Introducing them to another Zippleback will just make them feel worse.

According to their parents, they hardly leave the house. The only times when they would go out were when their mother insisted they help her shop. And they didn't even fight their parents about following orders like chores or going to the market. They did as they were told, didn't fight anyone about anything, and they didn't get into trouble at all.

Hiccup had just seen them on his way to the forge earlier that morning. They were with their mother by the baker's stand. Both twins had something in their arms to carry from their day's purchasing, they didn't say anything or do anything but stand by their mother with blank faces as she talked with the bread maker. They just stood there and looked at the ground.

It was so un-them that everyone started to get worried. Worried that the twins would never be themselves or even smile ever again.

Even though everyone knew that them being themselves meant loud ruckuses and much destruction all throughout the village; again, no one thought they deserved to remain sad and miserable the rest of their lives.

However, this night Hiccup felt he could sleep slightly better than he had been for the past few months, with the knowledge of that tomorrow Mr. and Mrs. Thorsten would be doing their opt most best to get their son and daughter to feel better.

Earlier that day, their father, Colborn Thorsten came to the forge to get his fishing spear sharpened. He said he was leaving the next morning to help Bucket and Mulch fish for the next couple of days, and Tuffnut was going with them.

Colborn knew Hiccup would want to know how his friends were because he already knew they were still not past their mourning. The older man explained to the chief's son how he and his wife, Lorna Thorsten, had made a plan to 'divide and conquer.' That he was to bring Tuffnut along to help with the fishing and try to get his mind off everything with his father's help, while Ruffnut stayed on Berk with their mother and she would keep her busy and try to cheer her up as well.

Ruff and Tuff had been sadly inseparable since Barf and Belch's funeral, so maybe a little time apart would be hard for them at first, but it would still be good for them. Because right now, when their together, they just remind themselves that since their dragon is dead, they only have each other. Spending a few days apart with one of their parents and other friends could help remind them that it's not just the two of them.

* * *

The next morning, Hiccup and the chief joined the two female Thorstens at the docks to see their male folk off. Colborn had just kissed his wife goodbye and was heading up the dock to join Bucket and Mulch on board, but he stopped to look back to his son. Tuffnut, with his satchel and spear laying at his feet, was still hugging his twin sister closely. Colborn knew his children were not going to let go anytime soon, at least not on their own. Giving his wife a knowing look, she nodded, understanding she had to do something too, Colborn walked back to his children and placed a gentle but attentive hand on his son's shoulder. Tuffnut drew back from his sister, but still held onto her, just enough to turn his head to look at their father. Meanwhile, Lorna came up to stand right behind her daughter.

"Come on son, the boats' ready and we're burning daylight," Colborn said gently but still urgently enough to persuade his son to wrap up saying goodbye to his sister.

Tuffnut turned back to his twin and gave her one more, big hug before quickly letting go of her to sling his satchel over his shoulder and grab his spear off the ground. After he gathered his belonging back up, Tuff placed his free hand comfortingly on Ruff's shoulder.

"You gonna be okay?" Tuffnut asked concerned, in a quiet voice. Ruffnut gave her brother a sad smile and shrugged.

"It's just a couple days," Ruff looked down for a moment with a heavy sigh before continuing. "Just…be careful, and try to enjoy yourself, okay?" Tuff gave her a nod as she looked back at him.

"You too," and with that, Tuff took his hand off his sister's shoulder, extending it in between them. Ruff smiled, grabbed it firmly, and the two pulled each other into the other and clanked their helmets together; not as hard as they usually did before, but it was still their thing regardless.

After that, Ruffnut backed away from her brother until her back hit their mother, as Lorna placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. Tuffnut gave them both one more, sad smile before walking down the dock and boarding the fishing boat with the other men.

* * *

The sun was high above the fishing boat at sea with three Viking men and one younger, all hard at work, heaving up the nets full of fish before throwing them back into the ocean to fill up and be heaved back up again.

Bucket always preferred to whistle while he worked and when they waited for the nets to fill up before pulling them back up and empty them. Mulch, taking advantage of it not being just him and Bucket on this trip, decided to occupy himself while he worked by starting casual conversations with Colborn. Tuffnut merely did his part and without a sound.

While Colborn talked to Mulch, he tried to also talk to his son to get him into their conversations too, but Tuffnut only gave one word answers without bringing his eyes away from what he was doing. Colborn signed as he and Bucket heaved one of the nets full of fish from the starboard side of the boat. This wasn't going as well as he anticipated; cheering up his son, not the fishing. He had never seen his son this sad before, or his daughter, especially for this long, he wanted them both back.

"Mulch, there's an eel in this one," Bucket called to Mulch from the other side of the boat. Mulch turned to look at Bucket holding up the slippery sea snake he pulled out of the fish net, in his only hand.

"That's not surprising, we're just a few miles away from Eel Island. Just throw it back Bucket, Berk isn't too big on buying eels now a days," Mulch instructed his friend, but before Bucket could follow through, Colborn stopped him.

"No don't." Colborn took the eel from Bucket's hand. "I'll cook it up for Tuff tonight. Skewered eel was his favorite," Colborn paused as he placed the eel in a small basket for later, "before…" then looking up to see his son down on one knee, his back facing him.

"Before he and his sister got that dragon and didn't want eel in the house anymore to scare 'em?" Bucket blurted out for everyone on their ship to hear. After Mulch gave Bucket a wake to his bucket covered head, they all looked to Tuffnut at the bow of the boat, concerned about how he would react. They just silently watched as the former dragon rider rose to his feet, turned and walked just barely past his dad before stopping and spoke.

"Your right dad, I haven't had eel in years," he paused to give his dad a forced smile before giving the small basket with the eel a quick glance. "Save that for dinner tonight."

That night however, Tuffnut did not join his father and the other men for dinner. The young man stayed out of deck, looking at the stars. He wanted to go home, but he knew if he did that he and Ruff would be right back where they started. They're both miserable and the people around them will just keep poking at them to cheer up and move on. Tuff knew they meant well for the both of them, he wanted to move past this whole tragedy too. He wanted to feel like his old self again and do crazy stuff with his sister. Another part of that was blowing stuff up on the back of a dragon. Dragons were a part of his life and his sisters'.

He wanted them to be dragon riders again. If they could be dragon riders again, that would be enough for him to move forward with a content smile.

Their parents made this arrangement so they could have some time alone away from each other.

And maybe that's just what he needed, time alone. But not just from his sister, from everyone else too.

So, knowing his father and the others were well asleep by now, Tuff snuck below deck, grabbed his satchel and favorite spear, and quietly made his way to the table with the map. Looking at the spot on the map where they had mark were they are, if he went northeast he could be back on Berk by tomorrow afternoon, plenty of time for the ship to catch back up to him. But if he went west, he could be on another island he was sure to be alone on, before dawn.

When Tuffnut got back up on deck, got his baring's from his father's compass, he pulled the small extra sailing boat they kept for emergencies; or 'life boat' if you will, out and into the water as quietly as he could. He knew mostly everyone in the village had all turned into heavy sleepers ever since they could stop worrying about dragon raids in the night, so he was almost positive they wouldn't wake up and try to stop him.

Once Tuffnut got his little boat in the water with all his stuff, he himself jumped in, grabbed an ore, pushed away from the bigger ship and started rowing west, to an island best known for what it's named after.

* * *

The next morning on the Isle of Berk was foggy and grey, like Ruff as she sat at her vanity and slowly brushed her fish oil dipped comb threw her unbraided hair.

Most of the village was still asleep, the sun hadn't quiet risen yet; the perfect time for a young Viking women to sneak out of her house unnoticed into the woods and away from the village to be alone.

Bucket and Mulch's boat left with her father and brother the other morning, and Lorna had insisted spending the entire rest of the day with her daughter. All day, her mother dragged Ruffnut through the village, shopping, chatting with friend (her mother doing mostly all the talking). When they got back to the house, she brightly suggested they do some sewing together, then after wards, bake sickly in their own kitchen, and then go up to the Great Hall to have dinner among their friends. Ruffnut, being in the mood she was presently in, went along with her mother's overbearing attempts to brighten her up; but she could not take another whole day of it again.

After finishing her usual three braids, Ruffnut crept past her parent's room where only her mother slept this morning, grabbed a biscuit and apple from the table and stuffed them in her satchel, and quietly as possible, left threw the front door and ran for the line of trees into the forest.

At first she was just running to get away faster and hopefully without being seen. But even after the female twin was well into the woods and plenty far from the village, she not only kept running, she started running faster.

She didn't know why she wanted to run faster. Her legs were getting sore and her chest was burning. She wasn't just oxygen deprived as she ran that made her chest hurt and heart beat faster. Ruffnut was sad and frustrated, she wanted everything back the way it was before. She wanted to feel happy and destructive, she wanted her brother here to be happy and destructive with, she wanted to be a dragon rider again; she wanted Barf.

As all this raced through Ruff's mind, she eventually found herself stopping in her tracks. Her breathing was rapidly catching back up to her as she looked to where she got herself. She was on a beach. Ruff run all the way from her house in the village to the other side of the island.

Seeing as she couldn't run anymore, both because her chest was on fire and she had run out of island to run away on, Ruffnut collapse on the sand, lying flat on her back with her aching legs in front of her.

Ruff laid there for maybe an hour or a few, getting her breathing back under control and thinking what to do next. She didn't want to go back to the village just yet or soon. She just wanted to be alone for now. But being alone was worse than being showered with over barring attention from her sympathetic tribe mates other the loss of her and her brother's dragon. Ruff knew she couldn't turn back time or bring Bark and Belch back to life. But she knew who she was, she knew who her brother was. They were dragon riders. It's what they were meant to do.

She wanted to be a dragon rider again. So did Tuff. If they both could be dragon riders again, that would be enough for her to move forward with a content smile.

But no Zippleback could ever replace Barf and Belch. So what could they do?

As Ruff opened her eyes and sat up on the beach, the sulking blonde pulled the apple she swiped from her bag and took a big bit as she stared at the ocean touching the sky. After being half done with her apple, feeling bored and still depressed, she started to hum the tune of a song their mother would sing when she and Tuff were younger. Before she could finish however, she was greeted by an unexpected presence that made her scream.

* * *

Tuffnut arrived on his desired destination just as the first lights of the sun kissed the horizon that same morning. After pulling his boat a shore and inland to hide from view of any possible passing ships, Tuff plopped down up against a tree to get a few hours of sleep before the night was completely gone.

* * *

**Please Review. Hope to update again soon, and if I don't, Happy Holidays to all writers and readers!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry, this chapter is really short, but I'll really try to not make u guys wait too long for the next one.**

**Best Kind of Love**

**Chapter 5**

The sun was high in the almost cloudless sky above Eel Island as Tuffnut began to wake up and stretch out his stiff limbs.

He may have been exhausted a few hours ago when he arrived, but he was still awake enough to pick a spot to sleep right by a small river. Tuff went to the edge to splash water on his face to wake himself up further. Taking a closer look into the river before him, Tuff could see hundreds of wiggly, fat eels swimming below the surface. Upon seeing them, the young man's stomach began to growl like an agitated dragon. He hadn't been eating much the past few weeks, and eel did used to be his favorite. Barf and Belch hated eel. So maybe one or two for breakfast would keep his mind off them and satisfy his empty stomach.

Tuff grabbed his spear from the tree he rested at, came back to the river's side and skewered himself up a few eels, which he proceeded to roast over a small camp fire he made.

After biting into the first eel, Tuffnut realized not only how much he missed eel, but also exactly how hungry he really was. Tuff scarfed down his first eel in no time before immediately grabbing another, hot off his little makeshift rotisserie and chowing down again; a little slower. But even after his second eel, he was still hungry but not quite as eager. So Tuff grabbed a third eel from over his cooking fire and nipped at it slowly and lazily as he laid back against his tree while staring at the small river before him.

Tuffnut wasn't one to think too much about anything before. When he had something on his mind that he didn't feel comfortable talking about with anyone, he would talk to Belch; dragons were great listeners and a lot less judgmental. But Belch was gone, and all his friends and family were all the way back on Berk. He was all alone. But that's how he wanted things to be, at least for now. Tuff didn't know how long he wanted to stay on Eel Island. For now, he wanted to just be away from people. But without Belch to talk to or even his sister who knows him better than anyone; including himself sometimes, Tuffnut wasn't sure what to do about what was troubling him.

He did remember that most men in the village, when they had a lot on their minds and were depressed, they drank. But Tuff didn't have any alcohol with him. And even if he did, he knew it wouldn't make him a dragon rider again; let alone make him feel better about not being one anymore. All he wanted was someone to talk to, who would really listen to him. That wasn't exactly Ruff, and it couldn't be Belch anymore.

But then Tuffnut remembered something Hiccup told him a few years ago. When he needs to think about something, he goes for a flight. He said the fresh air and the cool wind in his face clears his mind and helps him think better. But that only made Tuff feel sad again; he didn't have a dragon anymore to go for a 'mind clearing flight' on.

But Hiccup also mentioned about how he used to clear his mind before he met Toothless. Something about, 'just taking a walk.' Not as exciting as flying on the back on a dragon, but he said it was refreshing all the same.

With his stomach now full, and nothing else to do, Tuffnut placed his third, half-eaten eel back by his little fire, next to the two other eels he caught but didn't eat, got to his feet, and just started walking along the bank of the eel filled stream.

Tuff walked up stream for less than half an hour before something made him stop in his tracks. A few snapping twigs and a quiet growl, from among the trees to his left. The growl didn't sound like a wolf snarl or a wild boar snort. More dragon like then either of those.

Before Tuff could do anything else, the growl came again, louder and more throaty; like a roar. Feeling amused and confident in his 'professional dragon training' abilities, Tuff roared back, louder. Tuff grinned from this little game, but this was wiped off when the owner of that dragon roar, a giant Typhoomerang, leapt out of the forest before giving his rebuttal.

Tuffnut dropped his spear and fell to the ground in surprise as the dragon appeared before him and roared in his face. Tuff kept his eyes closed and arms up in front of him the whole time, but when the roar ceased, he dared himself to opened them and look this dragon in the eyes. It was indeed, a massive orange/red Typhoomerang, with big yellow eyes that stared straight back into his without blinking, and neither did Tuffs'.

Tuffnut knew that roar and those eyes. Between a roaring and staring contest he'd had a few years back, he knew only one dragon did/would do that with him.

* * *

Ruffnut sat on the beach, wide eyed, looking up to the face of a long-necked, boiling water spitting, venomous, sea dragon that just popped it's head out of the sea before her eyes, not even a minute ago. But this wasn't just any sea dragon. Ruff could tell by the way he sniffed her fish oil combed braids. All Scauldrons loved the smell of fish, but this dragon looked at her as he smelled her with familiarity and fondness. And she didn't think every Scauldron liked her singing; or humming.

"Scauldy?" Ruff reached her hand out, up to the sea dragon. The Scauldron gently brought his head down for the Viking girl to touch. And that was all Ruffnut needed to know it was him.

* * *

"Torch?" Tuffnut blinked just to end the contest. The Typhoomerang growled happily, as he had won their little stare off. Tuff reached out his hand above his head to see if he was right, and sure enough, the Typhoomerang lowered his head and pressed the tip of his snout into the young man's touch. And Tuff knew it was him. His old friend, the only one who even really listened.

* * *

**Here we go with the episodes that inspired me with this. "Zippleback Down" and "Free Scaudly." **

**Please review. Working on next chapter, see u then ;) **


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry this is later then I wanted it to be, but I at least promised U a longer chapter and it is so, yeah, I hope U like it. The next chapter well probably be the Epilogue or I might include one extra chapter and then the Epilogue, I haven't decided yet. **

**Also, because I love them and couldn't resist, the beginning on this chapter contains Hiccstrid ;) Please Review**

**Best Kind of Love**

**Chapter 6**

In the cool afternoon on Berk, Hiccup and Astrid were together on a cliff side with a small picnic lunch beside them while they sat close to one another on a blanket. Hiccup was just explaining this awesome new invention he just started working on for himself. Astrid leaned snug against his shoulder.

"So this suit will allow you to glide it the air beside Toothless, but not actually fly?" Astrid asked her boyfriend after his description. Hiccup just smiled and nodded. "Then why are you calling it a 'flight' suit?" Hiccup actually thought about it for a moment before answering.

He shrugged. "It just sounds more befitting I guess. Do you think it's stupid or crazy?" Hiccup asked with a small chuckle, already knowing she would, but he wanted to ask anyway.

"I want to say both, but I also think it's dangerous," there was no humor in her voice. Hiccup dropped his small grin. "I mean, how are you going to land?"

"Well, I don't plan on using it without Toothless gliding right beside me, so I will have him to catch me while we're still in the air," Hiccup explained once again, trying to reassure his girlfriend he wasn't just jumping and/or gliding, to his death.

"Are you sure he'll be able to though? Without you to work his tail, he won't be able to really maneuver well in the air. How do you know he will be able to catch you in time?" the blonde girl asked worried. She wanted to question everything she could think of about this crazy/stupid/_extremely _dangerous idea, to make sure he thought over everything before doing anything.

Hiccup again thought hard for a few seconds before giving his dear girlfriend the best and only answer he could give. "I trust him," he said strongly, looking her firmly but gently in the eyes.

"I know you do, but that doesn't change the fact that he might not be able to get to you," she questioned again. Astrid truly admired the love and trust he had in his dragon, but she wasn't wrong. And Hiccup knew it too.

"Your right," Hiccup nodded looking down at the blanket. Astrid sensed his discouragement, feeling a little guilty for bringing it about, she snuggled closer to him, pulling his arm to drape over her shoulder, and cupping the side of his jaw in her hand to turn and face her.

"I know he'd never let anything happen to you, but neither would I," she said reassuringly and soft, making Hiccup smile. "Which is why, you are not trying anything like that until you know it's 100% safe for the both of you," she continued half serious and half humorous. Hiccup knew she meant it, but she also wanted to lighten the mode back up and let him know she was okay with his little experiment as long as he was safe.

"Yes ma'am," Hiccup smiled bigger as they both laughed lightly. As it died down, the two dragon riders looked back into each other's eyes, they became quiet. They both loved each other very much and wanted to be even closer. Astrid stretched her neck up a bet as Hiccup leaned his head down to her and…

"HICCUP!"

…and the two love birds bonked foreheads as the chief's booming voice startled the both of them from behind.

Stoick came flying in with Snotlout and Fishlegs on their dragons, tailing him. The three of them landed on the cliff, a few yards from the two. The two younger Viking men on their dragons remained mounted as Stoick jumped off his blue Thunderdrum and hastily approached his son with his girlfriend.

Hiccup groaned quietly where he sat before standing and walking over to meet with his father. "Dad… what brings you to the cliffs this fine afternoon… with Snotlout and Fishlegs… at this very moment… while I'm on a date…"

"Son," the chief stopped his son's irritated rant. Hiccup stopped talking and gave his father his undivided attention. "I know I'm interrupting your day off with Astrid, and I'm sorry…to the both of you," Stoick looked passed his son briefly, directing his apology to the blonde shield maiden on the blanket, as well. "But we have a serious problem. Lorna Thorsten came to me this morning saying she hasn't seen Ruffnut since last night and can't fine her anywhere."

"Well, maybe she just wanted to be alone for a while and just went for a walk around the island," Astrid said, joining in the conversation, walking up to stand by Hiccup. She knew Ruffnut, and she would want to do the same if she was in her position; especially if she didn't have someone like her brother around.

"It's not just that, Bucket and Mulch's ship just returned less than an hour ago," Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other, shocked by this extra news.

"What? They just left yesterday,"

"They weren't supposed to be back for like a week,"

"I know, but when they woke up this morning, they found to be short one Viking," Stoick said, knowing the two would catch on quickly. And they did. Hiccup's eyes widened as he looked back to his father.

"Tuff?" he asked, fearing he guessed right, even though he already knew he was.

"Colborn said his son was with them last night but didn't join them for dinner, and when he and the other men woke up, Tuffnut, his satchel and spear, and their spare boat were gone," the chief explained further.

Without another word, Hiccup followed his father back to Thornado, they both mounted while Astrid hopped onto Meatlug, behind Fishlegs, and they all flew back to the village to get their dragons and organize search parties for the Thorston twins. It was like the storm after their month long, training mission all over again.

The whole ride back, Astrid kept thinking about if best female friend was really okay. She knew for a fact that Ruff could take care of herself, but she also knew her friend wasn't exactly herself these days. Astrid just sighed as she thought, 'I just hope she isn't hurting too bad.'

* * *

"YAAAAHHOOOOOO!" Ruffnut cheered, saddled bare-back, proudly on top of her old friend's head as he glided low through the air, occasionally dipping back into the ocean just enough to get his lower body wet, before gliding higher up and out of the water like a flat skipping stone.

The female twin laughed, feeling joy she hadn't felt in months. The sudden plummeting and elevating of the Scauldron's flying may have been making her stomach a bit jumpy, but the young Viking women was enjoying herself far too much to notice. With her eyes closed to focus on the feeling of the wind in her hair and the spray of the ocean in her face, Ruffnut Thorston was starting to feel like her old self again.

Ruff opened her eyes, curious on where exactly they were heading, and she smiled even bigger, once again seeing an arch of stone they had been passing by all day, standing high in the middle of the sea, at least three times the height of Scauldy's neck.

"There's the arch! Come on Scauldy, let's give it another shot!" Every time the Viking girl and her Scauldron friend came in the direction of that arch, Ruffnut had gotten him to attempt a new trick they have been trying to perfect all day. Scauldy complied after receiving a pat on the side of his head from the only human he has ever trusted, and headed a straight course to the arch.

As they approached the arch at tide ripping speed, Ruff stood from where she sat on the Scauldron's head, moved to the other side of his single horn, holding on tight. Waiting for the perfect moment. And when it came, Ruff quickly let go of his horn at the same time as she shouted 'Launch!' Scauldy, seeing his human friend remove her hand and yell the signal word she taught him, acted instantly by drawing back his neck and thrusting it forward sharply, flinging the Viking girl from his head, high and far.

How the trick was supposed to work was that after Scauldy launches Ruff off his head and over the arch, he is supposed to swim faster to make it under the arch and to the other side just in time to catch her on his head again as he swims. The launch and timing, they got down after the first few tries. Ruff made it over the arch just fine and Scauldy always got to where he needed to be to catch her; well almost. The only thing they couldn't seem to get right was Scauldy having his head at the right stop so Ruff could grab onto his horn and land on his head. But he was always off (by only a few feet), so Ruffnut always ended up landing in the water.

And this time was no different from the others, as Ruff had ended up in the ocean, a few feet from Scauldy as he swam. Seeing his human friend splash into the vast body of water he calls home, for the dozenth time that day, Scauldy stopped and turn back to fish her out of the sea once again. Scauldy got to the spot she landed at as Ruffnut broke the surface, taking a few big breathes. Scauldy dipped his head down close to his old friend and Ruff gave him a kindly pat. Scauldy cooed as she pet him; as if he was apologizing for not catching her in time, _again_.

"Aww, it's okay Scauldy. You know I'm a great swimmer," she assured the sea dragon. To prove her point, Ruff took a deep breath and dove back into the water, swimming off somewhere. Scauldy turned his head a few times but couldn't see his human threw the surface. He was just about to dive his head in to get a better look, before he heard the splashing of something; or _someone_, breaking the surface to his side, and felt water squirt onto the air exposed scaly skin of his back side. Scauldy turned his head to see his human friend treading water, laughing teasingly. Scauldy was amused too. He was happy his friend liked the water so much.

After she was done, Ruffnut swam back to the front of Scauldy's body. Scauldy lowered his head half way into the water to let her climb back on. "And whether you catch me or not, it's still fun," she said as the Scauldron continued to swim peacefully along the sea with his head out of the water and the female Viking mounted proudly on top.

Ruffnut once again closed her eyes, enjoying the steady pace of her old friend as he swam. But her mind slowly drifted back to her friends and family back on Berk, but more, her brother. She told him not to worry about her while he was on his fishing trip with dad, but now that she knew he had nothing to worry about, that she was happy again, she started to worry about him. She had found her old friend and has been having the time of her life getting to know him better all day, and Tuff was most likely moping about on Bucket and Mulch's ship, mindlessly doing what was asked of him, still depressed; _as far as she knew_. But that's just a worst case scenario. He wasn't alone, and he may actually be enjoying himself even. Ruff thought about trying to go find their ship and surprise him and dad. He would be happy for her finding Scauldy again, but on the other hand it would also make him a bit upset and jealous that his sister now, once again had a dragon while he does not. 'Maybe this can wait till he gets back,' Ruffnut thought as she directed Scauldy higher. 'He's probably fine.'

* * *

"…so then I say, 'Shhh, there's no way he'll find us here.' Then Ruff says, 'turn around doffous' and there Stoick was. He was just about to yell at us for the yak tipping, then out of nowhere, Barf and Belch swooped in and snagged us up and away from the chief before he could punish us." Tuff paused to sniffle, ripping another bit off of his skewered eel with his teeth before continuing with his mouth full. "And Ruff and I just laughed and laughed and….AHHHH-HUH-HA!" Tuffnut wept out his story to Torch, the Typhoomerang feasting on his own pile of eels as he listened to his old friend cry and tell.

The two old friends had been sitting around Tuff's make-shift camp by the stream all morning and into the afternoon, scarfing down eel as the young Viking man told story after story of his misadventures and his troubles.

Torch remembered the Zippleback from when he was younger and even more from reencountering them after he became fully grown. He couldn't believe the two headed dragon had perished in a storm, leaving his two riders dragon-less and miserable. Torch brought his snout away from his favorite meal to give his distressed friend a reassuring nudge. Tuff patted the Typhoomerang's nose, smiling while wiping away the last of his tears with his other hand.

"Thanks buddy, you're the only one who ever listened," Tuffnut stood up to stretch when Torch got an idea. With his back to the Typhoomerang, Tuff didn't know what was happening until he was lifted up off the ground from the back of his tunic and was being carried away from his camp and to the wide clearing on the other side of the stream by Torch himself.

"Woah, woah, Torch! What are you… put me down," Tuff hollered in retaliation, but Torch ignored his fussing and continued on.

As soon as they made it to the clearing, Torch lifted Tuffnut higher, onto the top of his back. Then dropped his head back down, sending Tuff tumbling forward, down his long neck to the top of the large dragon's head. Tuff took a moment, gripping Torch's horns and straightening out his helmet, but before he could try talking to Torch again, the Typhoomerang spread his wings and bolted into the sky.

Tuffnut was taken aback by this sudden rush and tightened his hold on his old friend's thick horns. Tuff hadn't been flying in months, so it took him a minute or two to readjust to the feeling of being up in the air.

And when he does, he opens his eyes completely, and for the first time in what has felt like forever, Tuffnut Thorsten was _happy_. The familiar feel of wind in his face, the exciting scare he gets from looking down from such a height, Tuffnut laughed he was so happy to be back. He had almost completely forgotten what this felt like. The cold, the wind, the rush, _the freedom_. What it was like to be a dragon rider once again.

Hiccup must have been right about flying helping you think, because Tuffnut just had the best idea ever.

"Hey Torch," Tuffnut patted the Typhoomerang's head to recapture his attention. Torch tilted his head slightly to look up to his new rider. "Do you like blowing things up?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Best Kind of Love**

**Chapter 7**

_1 year later:_

It was a beautiful afternoon on the island of Berk. The perfect day for the people's favorite sport; Dragon Racing.

Snotlout stirred Hookfang down, closer to the water, to glide alongside the female twin, saddled on top her Scauldron's head, sticking out of the bay below the Dragon Race course. "Here you go, babe," the young man tossed a white sheep up to her, and she caught it. "Did I tell you, you look amazing today, 'cause you do." Snotlout tried to give her a charming smile, but Ruffnut just groaned in annoyance.

"Uhh." Ruff rolled her eyes, disgusted. "Come of Scauldy, it's starting to…" before she could finish her sneering remark to the boy's failed attempt to flirt with her, _again_, a sudden heavy wind struck her hard. To stable herself again, Ruff loosened her grip on the sheep and tightened it on Scauldy's horn. The wind however, was stronger than her lightened grip, and the sheep was blown from her arms.

And landed in the waiting arms of her brother.

"HaHa!" laughed Tuffnut as he flew closer to Snotlout. "Yeah, still hates you," he chuckled in his friend's face at his antics to get his sister to like him. "Let's blow this place, Torch!" And Tuff, on his Typhoomerang, shot out of there, over the goal platform, and dropped that sheep in his net basket. Scoring him another point.

"That's five for Tuffnut!" Stoick yelled to the crowd from his throne at the end of the goal platform. "Ruffnut with seven. Astrid with six, and Snotlout, Fishlegs, and Hiccup with none."

"Gez Torch, looks like you and I are the only guy team actually trying to win. Hiccup's tossing all the sheep he snags into Astrid's basket, and Snotlout and Fishlegs are giving all their sheep to my sister." Ruffnut flies Scauldy closer to her brother and smacks him on his helmet.

"Hey, not my fault those idiots think it'll make me like them," she tell him as they both fly by the stables together. As they pass the plaza, Ruff sees a baby Gronckle sneeze and lights a wooden dragon head on top of a hut on fire. Ruffnut steers Scauldy closer down and pulls on his horn, getting him to spray water from his mouth, putting out the fire. After she and her Scauldron take care of that, Ruff flies back to her brother's side and continues her conversation with him. "I could still win without they're help."

The horn sounds, signaling that the black sheep is about to be unleashed.

"Alright little fella, this is your big moment," Gobber pat the dark wooled sheep before placing him in the Sheep Launcher. "Have a nice flight." And with that, the blacksmith pulled the lever and sent the little black sheep flying straight up into the air.

The black sheep rocketed as high as it would go, just as it was starting to loss it's momentum and begin to fall, one big meaty hand grabbed the scruff of its neck, while at the same time another even bigger and meatier hand grabbed a back leg.

"Hey!" Snotlout and Fishlegs both yelled at the same time. One pulled for the small creature while the other pulled in the opposite direction.

"What does it matter which one of you gets it? The little guy is still going into Ruff's basket either way," Hiccup hollered from below them as Toothless hovered.

"True. But _I'm_ gonna win the game for my princess," Snotlout yelled, giving the sheep another yank.

"No, I am," Fishlegs countered, not letting go.

The two young men were too busy fighting over that one sheep for Ruffnut, they didn't see her fly by and get her Tidal class dragon to spray sea water aimed at the both of them, fired with great force but not a lot of heat. Ruff loved that she was able to get Scauldy to spray water without it being boiling hot like usual. With meant she could soak anyone just for the sake of getting them wet or blasting them without melting the flesh from their bones. She blasted Snotlout first, making him let go of the black sheep. And when he let go, Fishlegs snapped back from the sudden force. All it took was a smaller blast from Scauldy to have him dropping the sheep entirely, leaving Ruffnut wide opened to catch it.

"Or she could win it herself," Hiccup stated, watching Ruff circle back, steering him back into the water below the course.

Ruffnut approached the goal platform, Scauldy swimming at breakneck speed. "Alright Scauldy, here we go," Ruffnut gave the sea dragon a rub to his check before moving to stand at the front of his single horn, holding onto it with one hand as she held the black sheep under her other arm. "Launch!" Ruffnut shouted. Scauldy complied, drawing his head back and giving it a sharp jolt, catapulting Ruff and the black sheep up towards the top of the platform.

As Ruff flew through the air, she saw Snotlout and Fishlegs, both soaking wet, but still cheering for her louder than any of the spectators in the stands. And as soon as she was over her goal basket on the platform, she dropped the black sheep right into it, scoring her ten points.

"And that's seventeen! Ruffnut is the winner!" Stoick announced from his throne.

However, when the chief said this to the crowd, Ruffnut was still falling over the other side of the platform. Scauldy was still swimming and keeping up with her.

"You think he'll actually catch her this time?" Astrid asked, hovering next to Hiccup as they watched.

"I hope so," Hiccup responded.

Everyone in the crowd watched with baited breath as Ruff continued her plummet to the bay, as if whether or not her dragon catches her was more exciting than the fact she already won the game. Scauldy swam faster as he came out from the other side of the platform, determined to get this maneuver right. Ruff positioned herself straight, her hands and arms opened wide in front of her, ready to grab onto Scauldy's horn.

Scauldy must have seen he wasn't close enough to his girl to reach her, because Scauldy stretched his neck back towards her further and angled his head more sideways so his horn was more horizontal, so Ruff could grab it easier, like a trapeze artist grabbing onto a swigging bar. And that's exactly what Ruff looking like when she practically fell right into Scauldy's face, grabbed onto his horn for dear life with both hands, and swung herself back into her saddle on his head.

The crowd cheered ten times louder than when she won as she and her Scauldron flew back over them all for a victory lap.

* * *

Later that evening in the Great Hall, everyone was feasting in the honor of the day's Dragon Race winner. And yet at this time, the winner herself was nowhere to be found.

After the race, Ruffnut had been carried in on the shoulders of Fishlegs and Snotlout, and proudly sat at her rightful spot at the head of the center table. She ate and laughed with the other competitors and villagers for several hours, but it wasn't until the sun was at its setting point on the horizon, that her brother noticed she was no longer among them.

"She probably went to go hang out with Scauldy. He does deserve some of the glory for her win," Hiccup told Tuffnut when he asked where his sister had gone in the middle of her own celebration. As big as the doors of the Great Hall were, and how big the hall itself was, it was still a bit of a tight squeeze for a Scauldron. Not only that, it was also not good for him to be out of the water for such a long time, even if it was for a party for him and his best friend. And after he nearly died of dehydration when they first met, Ruff decided she never wanted to risk that again. It was okay during Dragon Races, they only flew out of the water for a few seconds at a time. Plus, with the trick they just used today to win, Scauldy didn't even need to leave the water. So Scauldy stayed at the dock they built at the bottom of the cliff behind their house during the party.

Tuff walked into his backyard, with Torch trailing behind him. Torch stayed on the cliff because he was too big while Tuff climbed down to the dock. Scauldy was there, eating fish and bread left there by a few villagers as a prize for his and his rider's victory. But Ruffnut was not. At the sight of him, Scauldy stopped eating and greeted Tuff. Leaning his head closer, letting Tuff give him a pat.

"Hey there Scauldy. You by any chance haven't seen my sister since the race, have you?" Tuffnut asked the sea dragon. Scauldy gave a grumble, withdrew his head from the Thorston boy's reach, and pointed his gaze left, to the eastern coast of the island. Tuff looked too and he knew within seconds.

'Of course' Tuffnut thought as he sighed with a sad smile.

* * *

Ruffnut walked slow but with a purpose as she clutched something dear to her tight to her chest. She was only a few feet from her destination when she found she was not alone.

"Seriously? Coming here alone?" a voice from behind her started her from her thoughts. Ruff stopped in her tracks, turned around and saw her brother and his Typhoomerang following down her path.

"How'd you know I was here?" she asked slightly hostel, but in the back of her mind she was glad he was here with her. That's why she didn't just ask him to leave the Great Hall with her.

"You left in the middle of your own party. Where else would you go?" Tuff walked right up to her with a reassuring smile on his face. Ruff looked down and noticed her brother brought the same thing she did. Right there, tucked safely under his arm. Ruff smiled back at him, but quick snapped to displeased when she saw who else her brother brought along.

"Scaulding Painful Death the Dragon! What are you doing on land?!" Ruffnut yelled stepping forward, past her brother, wagging her finger up toward her dragon's head like a mother would to their misbehaving child. Again; she doesn't like Scauldy being out of the water even for an hour or two. Ruff then turned to direct her anger to her other half. "Why did you bring him with you?" Tuff raised his hand up in front of him defensively.

"I was already bringing Torch, it just seemed fair."

Ruff calmed down and sighed. Scauldy leaned his head down to affectionately nudge his rider. Ruff smiled, patting his head as he purred. She wanted him to be here with her as much as she wanted her brother and his dragon to as well. So she was thankful.

Ruff and Tuff proceeded to their original destination. Scauldy and Torch hung back a bit, giving their riders a moment. Standing right before what they were looking for; a stone with runes neatly engraved on the front, the twins both dropped down on the ground to their knees, then placed the objects they brought with them at the stones' base. After doing that, they just stayed their looking at the stone, up at the sky, and whispering a few prayers to the Gods.

After they had enough of that, the both of them stood up and backed away a little. Ruff and Tuff were both very sad at this point. Tuff looked over to his sister, her eyes still on the rock and starting to brim with tears. Tuff reached out and took his sister's hand in his. Ruff looked back to him, seeing him giving her a sad but reassuring smile. Reassuring her that they were not alone. And to further prove this to the both of them, Scauldy and Torch seized the moment and came up behind them. This was okay. They knew their past dragon would want them to be happy. To move forward with their lives, but remember them as well. And although the Thorston twins forgot things often, they will never forget him. _Them._ The twins both took their dragon's heads and pat them with affection as they all looked down at the saddles in front of the stone and to the writing on it:

_Barf and Belch_

_Hideous Zippleback of Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston_

_The best kind of love, is love that lets us go on _

**End of Part II**

**Fin**

* * *

**One year ago, on this day was the day my family's beloved dog Cheyanne passed away. So one year ago, after it happened on that day, I started typing this story. I published the 1st part on her following birthday, and now I publish the last chapter on her one year anniversary.**

**I love all kinds of dogs, I see someone walk by me on the streets with a dog on a leash, I'm gonna ask to pet them. **

**My family still hasn't gotten a new dog yet, but we did visit a breeder of an excellent shepherding dog breed a few weeks ago. (I live on a farm)**

**Please review, I hope u enjoyed it, and that I didn't make any of u _too_ sad. **


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